Review: (Sometimes) Hop On Over to World of Beer

World of Beer gives beer aficionados an opportunity to satisfy their tastebuds.Photo by Kailin Biggerstaff

With hundreds of different beers to choose from, World of Beer, which opened on Mill Avenue Aug. 8, offers the widest range of beer in town — it’s a drinkers dream come true.

For those who love sports bars, World of Beer features a wall of TVs with sports games on to greet the bar patron. Entering the bar is similar to walking into the home theater department in Best Buy.

Upon walking in, patrons will be quick to notice the brick texture in the middle of the bar, which is reminiscent of an old tavern but with new technology. Below the TVs covering the wall behind the bar are clear refrigerators, showing that World of Beer employees couldn't be bluffing when they say they have over 500 different types of beer. The overall atmosphere of the bar resembles a Buffalo Wild Wings commercial — without the cheap food.

World of Beer proves to be completely crowded no matter what day of the week it is. At first it seemed hard to get a table or find a place to sit at the bar, but eventually spots opened up after waiting a few minutes since so many people were coming and going.

Within a few minutes of sitting down, a waitress is sure to approach the customer and ask what he or she want to drink. These servers are apparently so crafted at selecting brews that management calls them “WOBrarians,” which stands for “World of Beer Librarians.” When the waitress mentioned this title, I honestly thought she was slurring her words, but she then assured me that employees are not allowed to drink on the job. Though it never takes too long to get a drink, World of Beer offers such a wide variety that it may be hard to decide what to order.

One of the many beers WOB has to offer.Photo by Mike Brilliant

World of Beer houses an exotic collection of brews from around the world, with over 500 bottled beers and more than 58 on tap. While these numbers may seem a bit overwhelming compared to any other bar, more is better when it comes to beer. If a mainstream beer is preferred, it is unlikely to be found in this modern tavern.

Although World of Beer does have bottles from local Tempe brewery Four Peaks, the bar also offers a large selection of lesser-known beers, such as Mudsharks (another brand from Arizona) and Hefeweizen, a beer from Germany with a bitter taste. In this German draft, the bitter quality originates from brewers adding a low amount of hops and a high amount of carbonation. The Vanilla Caramel Mudshark is an unorthodox type of beer that has a sweet taste and a little kick, with 9.2 percent alcohol content. A few of these drinks, which are among the highest-concentrated Mudsharks on the menu, will leave the drinker buzzing.

World of Beer has also joined the world of social media. Before even walking into the bar, a beer-lover can download the World of Beer app and find out more information about the establishment. Ironically, the age restriction for the app is 17, while customers still have to be 21 to gain entry to the bar. The bar even provides a number on the menu which people can text to get the whole beer list on their phone. But if you still want the physical copy, just ask for the on-tap and bottle menus.

An average drink at WOB typically costs $5. The price range for a single drink is $2-$10, depending on what night it is. On Wednesdays, Mudsharks are half off, which gives drinkers a chance to try the full variety for a much lower price. Another alternative for cheap drinks are the beer shots, which are only a few dollars and have a high concentration of alcohol.

On crowded nights of the week, such as Wednesday, a band performs on the second story of the facility above all the patrons. Generally, the band's watered-down hits from the late 1990's and early 2000's seem like a sideshow to the actual beer. The only problem — the music is too loud. The band could have used some distortion as oppose to playing only acoustic songs. It would have added to the ambience of the room.

WOB has a wide range of draft beers all posed behind the bar.Photo by Kailin Biggerstaff

World of Beer proves to be the type of bar people go to after work with coworkers to relax and have a laidback time. Overall, the service was favorable and the drinks were delicious. This bar seems like a great place to have a semi-quiet evening with some friends or get acquainted with new ones.